The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer #1) by Jenny Han Book Review

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 
Release Date: May 5, 2009
Pages: 276

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. 

Buy it on Barnes & Noble or Amazon  

My Thoughts

Every summer, Belly goes with her family up to the beach house for as long as she can remember. Her mom's best friend, Susannah, and her boys Jeremiah and Conrad are also always there. 

It's the imperfections that make things beautiful.

Belly's always had a crush on Conrad. And every summer, she anticipates Conrad to make a move about it. This summer is different. A lot has changed and maybe it will finally be the perfect summer Belly's always dreamed about.

Things couldn't stay the same forever.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆ (4)

This is, I think, my second time reading this series. The first time was a longggg time ago, back in 5th grade. But the feeling is still the same.

Belly's relationship with Susannah is so nice but also Susannah and Belly's mom's relationship. They've been best friends for literally forever and I love how well they just understand each other. It was also interesting to read about how Belly's relationship with Jeremiah and Conrad developed over the years (BTW I am #teamjeremiah).

Overall, The Summer I Turned Pretty is the perfect summer book to read, especially this summer with the TV adaptation on Prime. I love Jenny Han so much and all the nostalgia this book holds for me. 

About the Author

Jenny Han is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series, now Netflix movies. She is also the author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series, Shug, and Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream. She is the coauthor of the Burn for Burn trilogy, with Siobhan Vivian. Her books have been published in more than thirty languages. A former librarian, Jenny earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.